Transitioning Ducks Outdoors

[luckyduck956]

How do you go about transitioning a duck to the outside?

I live in central Texas. Unfortunately in Texas weather is never consistent. During this time our highs each week can range from 80-90° lows 50-70°. In the summer time it’s usually 80-110° with lows in the 70-80°, and it does get very hot here.. (Sorry for the weather report. Just don’t want to put my ducks in a situation they can’t handle.)

I started off wanting to keep my ducks inside the house for the majority of their life, but finding it hard to manage. Not only am I cleaning up poop at all times, but pretty sure my allergies are acting up from their molting. For a split second I considered diapering them, but realized that’s not a good option for my ducks.

I know they will be happier outdoor where they can forage and swim as they please. I will even try to build a run for them so they’re not locked in a pen at all times.

However, I need A LOT of help with transitioning them to the outdoors. (They are currently 3 weeks old)

At what age can they be outdoors?
What temperature is too cold/hot for them?
At what age are they fully feathered?
How do you make sure their pen is safe from predators?

I know there’s more to consider than just the questions above. Please fill me in with everything you all know

 

[Miss Lydia]

I took my ducklings out daily when the temps were in the 70's no wind and it was sunny. They will let you know when they are tired and ready to come back inside to their brooder for a nap and eats. At 3 weeks and not feathered in they are too young for over night. Do you have a secure coop and run already for them? At 3 weeks they can handle temps in the 70's. out of drafts. If you take them out often on nice days they will feather in quicker and get use to out door temps quicker. By 5-6 weeks they are about feathered in. Their pen will need to be surrounded by hardware cloth at least half inch that will keep anything from being able to reach in or climb in, top too and bottom unless you do 2' skirting to keep diggers out.

 

[Knighstar679]

How do you go about transitioning a duck to the outside?

I live in central Texas. Unfortunately in Texas weather is never consistent. During this time our highs each week can range from 80-90° lows 50-70°. In the summer time it’s usually 80-110° with lows in the 70-80°, and it does get very hot here.. (Sorry for the weather report. Just don’t want to put my ducks in a situation they can’t handle.)

I started off wanting to keep my ducks inside the house for the majority of their life, but finding it hard to manage. Not only am I cleaning up poop at all times, but pretty sure my allergies are acting up from their molting. For a split second I considered diapering them, but realized that’s not a good option for my ducks.

I know they will be happier outdoor where they can forage and swim as they please. I will even try to build a run for them so they’re not locked in a pen at all times.

However, I need A LOT of help with transitioning them to the outdoors. (They are currently 3 weeks old)

At what age can they be outdoors?
What temperature is too cold/hot for them?
At what age are they fully feathered?
How do you make sure their pen is safe from predators?

I know there’s more to consider than just the questions above. Please fill me in with everything you all know

with temps like those you could let them hang out outside in a temp/ grow out pen during the day so long as it’s not raining and they have shade.

how I transition my ducklings outside is letting them go outside on short trips at first, maybe an hour at first then longer. Usually by the time they are 5 weeks they are hanging out all day in a pen noodling and soakin up the sunshine. So when I move them out to the big pen it is usually just me filling up their pool and tossing some treats in and watching the joy.

it depends on your ducks for when they feather out. I have had some be almost featherEd at 6 weeks others it took till 8. If you have high temps you might be able to put them out sooner.

as for your other questions I am not a great person to ask on them as I am still figuring that out.